PSALM 69:1-3, 13-17, 29-33 (NLT)
(1) Save me, O God, for the floodwaters are up to my neck. (2) Deeper and deeper I sink into the mire; I can’t find a foothold. I am in deep water, and the floods overwhelm me. (3) I am exhausted from crying for help; my throat is parched. My eyes are swollen with weeping, waiting for my God to help me…(13) But I keep praying to you, Lord, hoping this time you will show me favor. In your unfailing love, O God, answer my prayer with your sure salvation. (14) Rescue me from the mud; don’t let me sink any deeper! Save me from those who hate me, and pull me from these deep waters. (15) Don’t let the floods overwhelm me, or the deep waters swallow me, or the pit of death devour me. (16) Answer my prayers, O Lord, for your unfailing love is wonderful. Take care of me, for your mercy is so plentiful. (17) Don’t hide from your servant; answer me quickly, for I am in deep trouble…(29) I am suffering and in pain. Rescue me, O God, by your saving power. (30) Then I will praise God’s name with singing, and I will honor him with thanksgiving. (31) For this will please the Lord more than sacrificing cattle, more than presenting a bull with its horns and hooves. (32) The humble will see their God at work and be glad. Let all who seek God’s help be encouraged. (33) For the Lord hears the cries of the needy; he does not despise his imprisoned people.
***New Testament References: Matthew 27:34, Matthew 27:48, Mark 15:36, John 2:17, John 15:25, John 19:28-29, Acts 1:20, Romans 11:9-10, Romans 15:3
GET HONEST ABOUT YOUR PAIN
CRY OUT TO GOD
GOD HEARS OUR CRIES
Revelation 21:3-7 (NLT)
(3) I heard a loud shout from the throne, saying, “Look, God’s home is now among his people! He will live with them, and they will be his people. God himself will be with them. (4) He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever.” (5) And the one sitting on the throne said, “Look, I am making everything new!” And then he said to me, “Write this down, for what I tell you is trustworthy and true.” (6) And he also said, “It is finished! I am the Alpha and the Omega—the Beginning and the End. To all who are thirsty I will give freely from the springs of the water of life. (7) All who are victorious will inherit all these blessings, and I will be their God, and they will be my children.
ACTS 2:1-13, 15-21 (NLT)
(1) On the day of Pentecost all the believers were meeting together in one place. (2) Suddenly, there was a sound from heaven like the roaring of a mighty windstorm, and it filled the house where they were sitting. (3) Then, what looked like flames or tongues of fire appeared and settled on each of them. (4) And everyone present was filled with the Holy Spirit and began speaking in other languages, as the Holy Spirit gave them this ability. (5) At that time there were devout Jews from every nation living in Jerusalem. (6) When they heard the loud noise, everyone came running, and they were bewildered to hear their own languages being spoken by the believers. (7) They were completely amazed. “How can this be?” they exclaimed. “These people are all from Galilee, (8) and yet we hear them speaking in our own native languages! (9) Here we are—Parthians, Medes, Elamites, people from Mesopotamia, Judea, Cappadocia, Pontus, the province of Asia, (10) Phrygia, Pamphylia, Egypt, and the areas of Libya around Cyrene, visitors from Rome (11) (both Jews and converts to Judaism), Cretans, and Arabs. And we all hear these people speaking in our own languages about the wonderful things God has done!” (12) They stood there amazed and perplexed. “What can this mean?” they asked each other. (13) But others in the crowd ridiculed them, saying, “They’re just drunk, that’s all!”...(15) These people are not drunk, as some of you are assuming. Nine o’clock in the morning is much too early for that. (16) No, what you see was predicted long ago by the prophet Joel: (17) ‘In the last days,’ God says, ‘I will pour out my Spirit upon all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy. Your young men will see visions, and your old men will dream dreams. (18) In those days I will pour out my Spirit even on my servants—men and women alike— and they will prophesy. (19) And I will cause wonders in the heavens above and signs on the earth below— blood and fire and clouds of smoke. (20) The sun will become dark, and the moon will turn blood red before that great and glorious day of the Lord arrives. (21) But everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.’
YOU CAN BE FILLED WITH THE SPIRIT OF GOD
GOD DESIRES TO UNITE HIS PEOPLE
YOU CAN EXPERIENCE GOD’S POWER
MATTHEW 7:24-29 (NLT)
(24) “Anyone who listens to my teaching and follows it is wise, like a person who builds a house on solid rock. (25) Though the rain comes in torrents and the floodwaters rise and the winds beat against that house, it won’t collapse because it is built on bedrock. (26) But anyone who hears my teaching and doesn’t obey it is foolish, like a person who builds a house on sand. (27) When the rains and floods come and the winds beat against that house, it will collapse with a mighty crash.” (28) When Jesus had finished saying these things, the crowds were amazed at his teaching, (29) for he taught with real authority—quite unlike their teachers of religious law.
BUILDING A LIFE WITH GOD MEANS LISTENING AND FOLLOWING
STORMS ARE COMING YOUR WAY
WITHOUT WISDOM, YOU RISK HAVING FAIR-WEATHER FAITH
MARCH 4:35-41 (NLT)
(35) As evening came, Jesus said to his disciples, “Let’s cross to the other side of the lake.” (36) So they took Jesus in the boat and started out, leaving the crowds behind (although other boats followed). (37) But soon a fierce storm came up. High waves were breaking into the boat, and it began to fill with water. (38) Jesus was sleeping at the back of the boat with his head on a cushion. The disciples woke him up, shouting, “Teacher, don’t you care that we’re going to drown?” (39) When Jesus woke up, he rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Silence! Be still!” Suddenly the wind stopped, and there was a great calm. (40) Then he asked them, “Why are you afraid? Do you still have no faith?” (41) The disciples were absolutely terrified. “Who is this man?” they asked each other. “Even the wind and waves obey him!”
STORMS MAKE IT EASY TO FORGET YOUR HISTORY WITH JESUS
STORMS REVEAL THE POWER JESUS HAS OVER THE CHAOS IN YOUR LIFE
STORMS ARE OFTEN USED BY GOD TO GROW YOUR FAITH
ACTS 27:13-26 (NLT)
(13)When a light wind began blowing from the south, the sailors thought they could make it. So they pulled up anchor and sailed close to the shore of Crete. (14) But the weather changed abruptly, and a wind of typhoon strength (called a “northeaster”) burst across the island and blew us out to sea. (15) The sailors couldn’t turn the ship into the wind, so they gave up and let it run before the gale. (16) We sailed along the sheltered side of a small island named Cauda, where with great difficulty we hoisted aboard the lifeboat being towed behind us. (17) Then the sailors bound ropes around the hull of the ship to strengthen it. They were afraid of being driven across to the sandbars of Syrtis off the African coast, so they lowered the sea anchor to slow the ship and were driven before the wind. (18) The next day, as gale-force winds continued to batter the ship, the crew began throwing the cargo overboard. (19) The following day they even took some of the ship’s gear and threw it overboard. (20) The terrible storm raged for many days, blotting out the sun and the stars, until at last all hope was gone. (21) No one had eaten for a long time. Finally, Paul called the crew together and said, “Men, you should have listened to me in the first place and not left Crete. You would have avoided all this damage and loss. (22) But take courage! None of you will lose your lives, even though the ship will go down. (23) For last night an angel of the God to whom I belong and whom I serve stood beside me, (24) and he said, ‘Don’t be afraid, Paul, for you will surely stand trial before Caesar! What’s more, God in his goodness has granted safety to everyone sailing with you.’ (25) So take courage! For I believe God. It will be just as he said. (26) But we will be shipwrecked on an island.”
IN EVERY STORM, YOU ARE PROMISED GOD’S PRESENCE
IN EVERY STORM, YOU ARE PROMISED GOD’S PURPOSE
Alpha has made an enormous impact on the people who have attended it, and on the Church as well. Most people have heard of Alpha, but few know what it is. Today we are going to DO Alpha!
“A man who was merely a man and said the sort of things Jesus said would not be a great moral teacher. He would either be insane…or else he would be the devil of Hell, you must make your choice. Either this man was, and is, the Son of God or else insane or something worse…but let’s not come up with any patronizing nonsense about his being a great human teacher. He has not left that open to us. He did not intend to.” - C.S. Lewis
PSALM 40:1-5, 9-17 (NLT)
(1) I waited patiently for the Lord to help me, and he turned to me and heard my cry. (2) He lifted me out of the pit of despair, out of the mud and the mire. He set my feet on solid ground and steadied me as I walked along. (3) He has given me a new song to sing, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see what he has done and be amazed. They will put their trust in the Lord. (4) Oh, the joys of those who trust the Lord, who have no confidence in the proud or in those who worship idols. (5) O Lord my God, you have performed many wonders for us. Your plans for us are too numerous to list. You have no equal. If I tried to recite all your wonderful deeds, I would never come to the end of them…9I have told all your people about your justice. I have not been afraid to speak out, as you, O Lord, well know. (10) I have not kept the good news of your justice hidden in my heart; I have talked about your faithfulness and saving power. I have told everyone in the great assembly of your unfailing love and faithfulness. (11) Lord, don’t hold back your tender mercies from me. Let your unfailing love and faithfulness always protect me. (12) For troubles surround me— too many to count! My sins pile up so high I can’t see my way out. They outnumber the hairs on my head. I have lost all courage. (13) Please, Lord, rescue me! Come quickly, Lord, and help me. (14) May those who try to destroy me be humiliated and put to shame. May those who take delight in my trouble be turned back in disgrace. (15) Let them be horrified by their shame, for they said, “Aha! We’ve got him now!” (16) But may all who search for you be filled with joy and gladness in you. May those who love your salvation repeatedly shout, “The Lord is great!” (17) As for me, since I am poor and needy, let the Lord keep me in his thoughts. You are my helper and my savior. O my God, do not delay.
GOD IS GOOD AND HE HELPS ME
I HAVE TOLD OF GOD’S GOODNESS
GOD IS GOOD AND I STILL NEED HELP
LUKE 24:44-49 (NLT)
(44) Then he said, “When I was with you before, I told you that everything written about me in the law of Moses and the prophets and in the Psalms must be fulfilled.” (45) Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures. (46) And he said, “Yes, it was written long ago that the Messiah would suffer and die and rise from the dead on the third day. (47) It was also written that this message would be proclaimed in the authority of his name to all the nations, beginning in Jerusalem: ‘There is forgiveness of sins for all who repent.’ (48) You are witnesses of all these things. (49) “And now I will send the Holy Spirit, just as my Father promised. But stay here in the city until the Holy Spirit comes and fills you with power from heaven.”
ACTS 1:1-3,8 (NLT)
(1) In my first book I told you, Theophilus, about everything Jesus began to do and teach (2) until the day he was taken up to heaven after giving his chosen apostles further instructions through the Holy Spirit. (3) During the forty days after he suffered and died, he appeared to the apostles from time to time, and he proved to them in many ways that he was actually alive. And he talked to them about the Kingdom of God…(8) But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
BE A WITNESS
WITNESS TO WHAT YOU’VE WITNESSED
WITNESS WITH HIS POWER
WITNESS EVERYWHERE
Trusting in the resurrection of Christ gives you hope for the future & purpose for today.
1 CORINTHIANS 15:1-9 (NLT)
(1) Let me now remind you, dear brothers and sisters, of the Good News I preached to you before. You welcomed it then, and you still stand firm in it. (2) It is this Good News that saves you if you continue to believe the message I told you—unless, of course, you believed something that was never true in the first place. (3) I passed on to you what was most important and what had also been passed on to me. Christ died for our sins, just as the Scriptures said. (4) He was buried, and he was raised from the dead on the third day, just as the Scriptures said. (5) He was seen by Peter and then by the Twelve. (6) After that, he was seen by more than 500 of his followers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have died. (7) Then he was seen by James and later by all the apostles. (8) Last of all, as though I had been born at the wrong time, I also saw him. (9) For I am the least of all the apostles. In fact, I’m not even worthy to be called an apostle after the way I persecuted God’s church.
TRUST THE RESURRECTION
HOPE FOR THE FUTURE
PURPOSE FOR TODAY
